France has deployed 45,000 police officers and army patrols in central Paris to enhance security on Saturday after French cities experienced riots for the fourth consecutive night following the police shooting of a teenager at a traffic stop. The violence, which involved burning some buildings and cars as well as looting shops, has placed President Emmanuel Macron in the biggest crisis of his presidency since the "yellow vest" protests that erupted in 2018. The French Ministry of the Interior reported that "police arrested 1,311 individuals after the fourth night of riots in France." The ministry stated on Twitter, "The violence that occurred overnight was less intense compared to the previous night."
Riots have erupted across the country in cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, and Lille, as well as Paris, where Nahel M., a 17-year-old of Algerian-Moroccan descent, was shot by police in the suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday. His death, captured by a camera, fueled long-standing grievances from low-income individuals, mixed-race communities, and urban neighborhoods about police violence and racism. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin stated early Saturday that 270 people were arrested on Friday night, bringing the total to over 1,100 since the disturbances began. The arrests on Friday night included 80 individuals in the southern city of Marseille, France's second-largest city.
Social media showed an explosion shaking the old port area of Marseille. Authorities stated they are investigating the incident but do not believe there were any casualties. Police reported that rioters in central Marseille looted a firearms store and stole some hunting rifles, though without ammunition. The police also mentioned they arrested one person in possession of a rifle believed to have been stolen from the now-police-guarded store.
The government indicated that all options are on the table to restore order. The Mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, urged the national government to immediately send additional forces. In a tweet late Friday, he called the scenes of looting and violence "unacceptable." Three police officers sustained minor injuries early Saturday, and a police helicopter was seen flying over the area.
In Lyon, the third-largest city in France, security forces deployed armored personnel carriers and a helicopter to quell the unrest. Darmanin requested local authorities to halt the operation of all buses and trams from 9 PM on Friday (1900 GMT) across the country, later announcing the deployment of 45,000 police officers, an increase of 5,000 from Thursday. He urged firefighters and police officers, stating, "The coming hours will be critical, and I know I can count on your hard work," in an effort to end the unrest.
In response to a question during the main news program broadcast by TF1 about whether the government could declare a state of emergency, Darmanin said, "Quite simply, we do not rule out any hypothesis, and we will see after tonight what the President will choose."
In Paris, police cleared the famous Place de la Concorde of protesters on Friday night after an unplanned demonstration began there. Darmanin noted that more than 200 police officers have been injured since the protests started, and hundreds of rioters have been arrested, averaging 17 years old. French national football team players issued a statement calling for calm. They stated in a message shared on star player Kylian Mbappé's Instagram account, "Violence must stop to allow for mourning, dialogue, and rebuilding."
Thieves looted dozens of shops and set fire to around 2,000 cars since the unrest began. Authorities canceled several events, including two music concerts at the Stade de France in the suburbs of the capital. Organizers of the Tour de France announced they are ready to handle any situation when cyclists enter the country on Monday after the race starts in Bilbao, Spain.
Macron asked social media platforms to delete "the most sensitive" riot footage from their pages and to inform authorities of the identities of users inciting violence. Darmanin met with representatives from Meta, Twitter, Snapchat, and TikTok. Snapchat stated it does not tolerate content that incites violence.
Mohamed Jacob, a friend of the victim's family who watched Nahel grow up, said the anger stems from feelings of injustice in poor neighborhoods after police violence against racial minorities, many of whom descend from former French colonies. He expressed, "We are tired; we are French too. We are against violence, and we are not scum."
Macron denies the existence of systematic racism within law enforcement. Video footage circulating on social media showed fires in parks in cities, in a tram in Lyon, and in 12 buses inside a garage in Aubervilliers, north of Paris. Some tourists expressed concern, while others showed support for the protesters.
Some Western governments advised their citizens in France to exercise caution. In Geneva, the United Nations Human Rights Office emphasized the importance of peaceful gatherings. They urged French authorities to ensure that police use of force adheres to non-discrimination principles. Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the office, stated, "This is an opportunity for the country to seriously address deep-seated issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement."
The police officer, who the prosecution said admitted to firing the fatal shot at the young victim, is under formal investigation for manslaughter and is currently in custody. His lawyer, Laurent Frank-Lynar, told BFM TV that his client aimed at the driver’s leg but hit something that caused him to shoot at the teen's chest. He added, "Certainly the officer did not intend to kill the driver."
The unrest has recalled the riots of 2005, which shook France for three weeks and forced then-President Jacques Chirac to declare a state of emergency after two teenagers died from electrocution while hiding from police in an electricity substation.
